Appeals Attorney - PDD Appeals

The Public Defender Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services is seeking a full-time attorney for its Appeals Unit in Boston.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT

CPCS is committed to protecting the fundamental constitutional and human rights of our assigned clients through zealous advocacy, community-oriented defense, and the fullness of excellent legal representation. We are dedicated to building and maintaining strong professional relationships, while striving to accept, listen to and respect the diverse circumstances of each client, as we dedicate ourselves to meeting their individual needs. It is our CPCS mission to achieve these goals, and in furtherance thereof, we embrace and endorse diversity, equity and inclusion as our core values as we maintain a steadfast commitment to: (1) Ensure that CPCS management and staff members represent a broad range of human differences and experience; (2) Provide a work climate that is respectful and supports success; and (3) Promote the dignity and well-being of all staff members. CPCS leadership is responsible for ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion. The ability to achieve these goals with any level of certainty is ultimately the responsibility each member of the CPCS community.

AGENCY OVERVIEW

CPCS is the state agency in Massachusetts responsible for providing an attorney when the state or federal constitution or a state statute requires the appointment of an attorney for a person who cannot afford to retain one. The agency provides representation in criminal, delinquency, youthful offender, child welfare, guardianship, mental health, sexually dangerous person, and sex offender registry cases, as well as in appeals and post-conviction and post-judgment proceedings related to those matters.

OFFICE OVERVIEW

The state-wide Public Defender Division Appeals Unit is centrally located in downtown Boston, within walking distance of the John Adams Courthouse, where both the Supreme Judicial Court and Massachusetts Appeals Court hear cases. The Unit is a close-knit office with a strong culture of collegiality and collaboration. The Unit prides itself on providing excellent, client-centered representation and strives to advance the law for the benefit of defendants around the state.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Public Defender Division is seeking an Appeals Attorney to provide criminal defense representation at the appellate level. The Appeals Unit provides legal representation and appellate advocacy for indigent adult clients in the Massachusetts appellate courts, and occasionally in federal court or state trial courts. The cases handled by the Appeals Unit are primarily direct appeals in criminal cases (from misdemeanors to serious felonies), but also include motions for new trials, interlocutory appeals, and amicus briefs in selected cases.  In addition, the Unit provides training and assistance to trial attorneys around the state, and often assists the agency with system-wide issues and challenges.

The clients we represent are diverse across every context imaginable. This reality creates a critical need for CPCS attorneys to be culturally competent and able to work well with people of different abilities, races, ethnicities, gender identifications, sexual orientations, and limited English proficiency, among other protected characteristics.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The duties of a Public Defender Division Appeals Unit Appeals Attorney include but are not limited to, the following:

-Interviewing clients;
-Conducting legal research;
-Collecting and reviewing documentary evidence;
-Preparing appellants' and occasionally appellees' briefs, reply briefs, and applications for rehearing, for reconsideration, and for direct and further appellate review;
-Arguing before the Appeals Court and the Supreme Judicial Court, including preparation via moot arguments, and assisting other attorneys with their moot arguments;
-Conducting post-conviction investigation, including visiting crime scenes and locating and interviewing witnesses, when needed;
-Providing formal and informal assistance to Public Defender Division trial attorneys on trial court level cases;
-Providing training to Public Defender Division and Private Counsel Division staff attorneys;
-Depending on experience level, may include editing and mentoring of other Appeals Unit Attorneys and, on occasion, of -Public Defender Division trial attorneys who are representing clients on appeal;
-Drafting or assisting in the drafting of amicus briefs;
-Assisting the agency in work on special projects involving systemic legal issues with broad impact;
-Participating in brainstorming sessions on Appeals Unit cases with the other members of the Unit;
Keeping up with new opinions on criminal law and procedure issued by the Supreme Judicial Court, Massachusetts Appeals Court, and United States Supreme Court; and,
Other duties as assigned.